1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plasma display panel having improved structure of discharge cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a plasma display panel (PDP) refers to a flat display device capable of displaying images using gas discharge phenomenon, thereby providing superior display characteristic, such as high brightness and contrast, lack of residual image, and wide viewing angles.
The conventional PDP may include two substrates with a plurality of discharging electrodes therebetween, i.e., a first substrate having a plurality of pairs of scan and sustain electrodes and a second substrate having a plurality of address electrodes, a plurality of pixel units having phosphorescent layers, and barrier ribs between the two substrates to separate the plurality of phosphorescent layers. When a predetermined amount of electricity is applied to the electrodes, a sustain discharge may be generated to trigger ultraviolet (UV) emission and, thereby, to excite the phosphorescent layers to emit visible light and form images.
More specifically, the barrier ribs of the conventional PDP may define discharge cells therebetween, such that each discharge cell may be formed between a sustain electrode and a scan electrode. Each discharge cell may be coated with a phosphorescent layer emitting red, green, or blue light, such that three adjacent discharge cells having three different colors may form one pixel unit. Accordingly, a matrix of pixel units may be formed between the plurality of address electrodes and the plurality of pairs of sustain and scan electrodes, i.e., between the two substrates, such that one address electrode may overlap with one discharge cell of a pixel unit. The arrangement and structure of pixel units may improve resolution in a PDP. Accordingly, attempts have been made to increase the pixel unit density.
However, increase of pixel unit density may increase the number of required address electrodes in a PDP. An increased number of address electrodes may reduce the distance therebetween and, therefore, increase the capacitance and the power consumption. Additionally, increase of pixel unit density may affect the geometric shape of each discharge cell, e.g., reduce the volumetric capacity of each discharge cell, thereby reducing the deposition area of each phosphorescent layer and, subsequently, deteriorating color tone and luminance of the PDP.
Accordingly, there exists a need to improve the structure of the PDP in order to provide improved pixel unit density, while maintaining a low power consumption and high luminance efficiency.